In the last couple of months, we have been called to adapt ourselves, our lives and our organisations to new circumstances and to be more creative and effective than ever before. We have consequently found ourselves in a fear-driven context, accompanied by uncertainty which cries out for our creativity, courage and vision.
I was fortunate to come across some books I found very valuable for addressing these turbulent times and which have supported me in tapping into my creativity, courage and vision… and I would like to share them with you.
BOOKS ON LEADERSHIP
1. Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts by Brené Brown
Brené Brown's book “Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts” teaches us that
“daring leadership in a culture that's defined by scarcity, fear and uncertainty requires building courage skills, which are uniquely human. The irony is that we're choosing not to invest in developing the hearts and minds of leaders at the same time we're scrambling to figure out what we have to offer that machines can't do better and faster. What can we do better? Empathy, connection and courage to start”.
2. Mastering Leadership: An Integrated Framework for Breakthrough Performance and Extraordinary Business Results by Robert J. Anderson and William A. Adams
This fascinating book explains that the inner game runs the outer game. According to the authors, great leadership is connected with deepest parts of ourselves.
“It has more to do with character, courage, and conviction than it does with specific skills and competencies. We need integrity, passion, honesty, vision, risk-taking, fearlessness, compassion, courage, authenticity, collaboration, self-awareness, humility, intuition”.
These are the qualities of the inner game which, in these difficult times, are required of leaders and each and every one of us. We are called to lead our organisations and our lives from the “inside out” and overcome the fear of failure, vulnerability and of not being accepted. We are called to be authentic – this is also the place from where creativity comes.
3. The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth by Amy C. Edmondson
Amy C. Edmondson guides us in co-creating a working environment where people feel safe and have the conditions in which to be creative and innovative, regardless of the extreme uncertainty and underlying fear with which we are all currently faced. Moreover, the book gives some interesting insights into fearful organisations and the ones where leaders have been able to establish psychologically safe working environments. These are called fearless organisations. I love this book, because it has confirmed my assumption that there is a negative correlation between leading by fear and creativity for which we all strive.
4. Daring Greatly: How the Courage to be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brené Brown
Another brilliant book written by Brené Brown which teaches us that showing vulnerability and admitting that we do not have all the answers in these unprecedented times does not signal weakness, but rather courage and brave leadership. According to Brown,
“the courage to be vulnerable is not about winning or losing, it’s about the courage to show up when you can’t predict or control the outcome.”
We do not know what the outcome of these turbulent times would be, but what we do know it that that we have to change and that we have to create something better. Brown also says,
“vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity, and change.”
For me, the book was a guided therapy through my own shame and vulnerability, and it has left me with a better version of myself.
BOOKS ON MINDSET SHIFT, AUTHENTICITY AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
The current context has disrupted so many lives and caused much stress to everyone. How to silence the negative inner voice, full of fear and panic and stay calm by trusting yourself and tapping into your inner strength and creativity? It is extremely difficult, it requires a lot of practice and patience, but it can be done.
The more you learn about your mindset, the more you become aware that the fear that you experience is run by one and only master – your ego.
According to Brené Brown, “ego is an eager and willing conspirator when it comes to locking away the heart”. “…. when we imprison the heart, we kill courage” (Brown, Dare to Lead).
5. A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose by Eckhart Tolle
Eckhart Tolle teaches us that
“all negativity is caused by an accumulation of psychological time and denial of the present. Unease, anxiety, tension, stress, worry - all forms of fear - are caused by too much future, and not enough presence. Guilt, regret, resentment, grievances, sadness, bitterness, and all forms of non-forgiveness are caused by too much past, and not enough presence.”
All we have is NOW ... and only NOW we have a choice to think, work and live differently. The present moment is all we have.
6. The Shift: Taking Your Life from Ambition to Meaning by Wayne Dyer
The main message of Wayne Dyer’s book lies in the quote of Carl Gustav Jung: “we cannot live the afternoon of life according to the program of life’s morning, for what was great in the morning will be little at evening and what in the morning was true, at evening will have become a lie”.
It seems that each of us is challenged to find a new truth in the new reality, irrespective of the life span each of us is in. The book motivates us to make a U-turn – back to our authentic self.
7. Tao Te Ching (The Book of the Way) by Lao Tzu
Tao Te Ching is an ancient Chinese text consisting of 81 verses on how to live in the world with goodness and integrity. Next to the Bible and Bhagavad Gita, the Tao Te Ching is the most translated book in the world and is considered as the book of wisdom.
8. The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael A. Singer
Michael A. Singer teaches us that once we become observers of our thoughts, the inner freedom begins. Our thoughts could be our best allies, or the worst enemies. We have to become an observer of our thoughts and start watching the thinker, as Eckhart Tolle would say.
9. The Highly Sensitive Person – How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You by Elaine Aron
I am an introvert and an empath, and this ground-breaking book on highly sensitive people helped me to understand my personality traits better. If you are an empath (or someone close to you), you should read this book.
A BOOK ON BURNOUT
If we take this unprecedented (self-)leadership challenge as a sprint and not a marathon, we might face burnout which has also become an epidemic in our working environments.
10. Izgorelost: si upate živeti drugače? by Tina Bončina
The next book that I would like to recommend has been written by a Slovene author. “Izgorelost: si upate živeti drugače?” presents burnout from a psychotherapist’s perspective and give insights into mental patterns and personality traits that could lead us to burnout.
TWO BOOKS ABOUT LIFE
11. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
This is a beautiful autobiography written by an extraordinary poet, writer and person. In this book, Angelou describes that “love for herself, the kindness of others, her own strong spirit, and the ideas of great authors will allow her to be free instead of imprisoned”. It has inspired me to reflect on my own life, purpose, story and how to collect the courage to live a life true to myself in these turbulent times.
12. Dnevi minevanja by Manca Košir
The last section is reserved for one and only, Manca Košir (my role model). Her book “Dnevi minevanja” is one of my favourite books on life and death, which reminds us that we have to live each day as if it is the final day of our life – being present in the moment and live to the fullest.
The book also refers to Top Five Regrets of the Dying, a book written by Bronnie Ware, a nurse who recorded the most common regrets of the dying. The top five regrets are as follows:
1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
2. I wish I hadn't worked so hard.
3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings.
4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.
The book has reminded me that regardless of how difficult the challenge that we are faced with is, we are always the ones who chooses how we will live our life - either stuck and ruminating about the past or the future, or being present in the moment and live it without regrets.
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